Chapter 3: Chapter Three
When dawn came over the city, spilling golden light over grey stone, a lone figure sat up in a tree, long hair tumbling down their back curling just past the branch. That honey colored light lit up the sidewalks and roads, the boring stone giving an ethereal glow in the early morning light.
When Remys' eyes opened for the first time that morning, her gaze swept over the city and the surrounding lands, delicately pointed ears extending past her head just to be slightly covered by wavy brown strands. Her left arm rested upon her left knee, bent up with her foot resting on the branch. Her right leg hung off the branch, her right arm placidly laying on Kasimir's back; the silly kitten having followed her to the manor from the campsite.
His tawny gold coat blurred with the sunlight, small smatterings of purest gold dotting his hide. The ash brown clouded markings decorating his skin seemed to become black holes hiding amongst an exploding star. Soft purrs reached her sensitive ears as Kasimir spread out across her lap, his head resting just below her bosom. With her elbow on the kits hind end, her hand easily stayed resting on his upper shoulder, stroking the soft fur occasionally.
Her long hair was swept to the side to avoid snagging on the rough bark of the tree, the ash brown locks tumbling down her head to curl to a stop just below the branches, casting her right side in shadows.
The sounds of the city waking up drew her attention back to the town, the streetlights flicking off when the suns rays brushed against their iron hides. Magic, Remys noted, her eyes flicking towards the manor that was slowly waking up. Windows slowly lit up as candles were awakened, drapes pulled back to allow the light in.
Just below the hill and beyond the small valley where the horses grazed and knights trained, Remys watched as the prince strolled out of the manor doors, his freshly pressed red cloak falling like silent water down his back, trailing his steps. His rusty brown hair was cleanly pulled back the chaotic curls tamed, -for the time being-.
He did not yell, simply called her name into the morning breeze, looking around the manor grounds. Though his eyes were better than that of a mortals, they would never be as astute as an elf's.
With a wry smile Remys sent a small frozen breeze towards the prince, letting the plants that the wind kissed along the way gather frost on their soft leaves. Urdein's faze turned towards her, his squinted eyes just barely making out her figure high up in the branches of the Dragonwood Tree.
Remys turned her gaze back to the city, leaning her head back against the greying wood, the veins of fiery reds, golds, and oranges threading the bark. With her gaze angled on the awaking city, she could only listen as the prince swept up the hill, crimson red wings carrying him up the steep slope before setting him down on the grass beneath the branches. The crimson leather flared a few times before shrinking back into the prince's body, the half shift a common sight in Druset.
Urdeins' gaze turned towards his Grandmother who resided in one of the upper branches, eyes widening slightly at the tiger kit residing on her lap. "Morning Grandmother," Urdein greeted with a grin, dipped his head slightly.
"A fine morning it is, princeling," was the customary response, Remys' eyes still turned to the town. "There is excitement in the air, Urdein. Is there to be a festival?"
"No Grandmother-" Urdein started, shaking his head- "the knights of the kingdom are having an annual aerial tournament." His tone gave away the princes' lingering excitement, having never fought in the air before. "I was wondering if you would accompany me on this day to such an occasion?"
Remys finally glanced away from the bustling city, her mismatched gaze leveling onto Urdein. "I would be honored to accompany you on such a day as this." Remys still did not move from her spot in the tree, her cloak long discarded on a lower branch. "When do we leave princeling?"
"In a bells time," Urdein responded quickly, dropping his eyes from Remys' own, instead looking around. He noted the snowy white mare that grazed a little ways from the tree, long white hair brushing the ground as she nibbled at the grasses that clung to the walls.
Remys looked towards the city and gave a smile, humming softly. "After the tournament there is an errand I need to run, then I must be returning to town to see what new trinkets the merchants have brought from the seas this time." The prince hummed in agreement.
"Then I shall enjoy your company whilst I have it, Grandmother."
Barely any time passed before the loud ringing of the city bells echoed across the ground, Remys tilting her head slightly so the obnoxious sound wouldn't irritate her sensitive hearing. Her long pointed ears brushed the back of her head as they tilted upwards, the articulation in them a genetic ability.
Remys smiled and lightly nudged Kasimir awake, the kitten opening his mouth wide in a yawn before stretching out, relaxing again moments later. Her gaze turned to the prince who nodded that is was time before sitting up, pulling her hair forward and quickly braiding the very top so that her bangs stayed out of the way. The small braided section lay loosely on top of the rest of her free hair, the locks only disturbed as Kasimir raced down the tree.
Gingerly picking her way down the huge tree, Remys lightly patted the bark in thanks before picking up her cloak, the branch the fabric was sitting on curling back up towards the rest of the branches. Pulling the green -but almost black- cloak on, she tugged the hood up over her head, shadowing her face slightly. Kasimir meowed before climbing back up the tree slightly, jumping off it to land on her right shoulder, perching there like a bird. His four obscenely large paws easily grasped the fabric as his tail wrapped loosely around her neck for balance.
Taking the barest moment to settle to the new weight, Remys strode beside the prince down the hill, a soft bird call escaping her lips as they descended. The light thumping of Mystic's hooves hitting the ground sounded moments later, the mare prancing up to her mistress's side. A gentle nudge from Mystic garnered Remys to present a small fruit, blue and green in color from her hand.
When the fruit disappeared into the mare's mouth, Remys returned her attention to Urdein, who was explaining the rules of the aerial tournament. The formal name Urdein had never memorized, thus leaving the duo to resign to using aerial tournament.
"Apparently the number of battles the knight has fought in grants him access to different mounts that the king has to offer," Urdein commented before looking to Remys. "Does that even make sense though? I thought you had to bond with an animal if you wanted it to trust you completely, and you it."
Remys took a moment to respond before breathing out. "They do not care about the bond, princeling," she stated sadly, shaking her head. "They only care about the power behind the swing, the bite, the attack. The higher up a knight is, the more dangerous the missions, the necessity for a stronger mount rises. Should the missions fail that would mean panic among the people, so the king gives a stronger mount to those he deems acceptable enough to do the crowns dirty work."
Urdein nodded sadly before sighing. "Father wants me to try and capture one of the wild wyverns that reside on the coast. Says that the beast," Urdein spat out the word as if it were poison, "would be useful if the time for war ever came again. The gall of him! I would never capture such a beautifully wild creature."
Remys shook her head with a chuckle, knowing that this line of thinking was her work. "Well, perhaps you can rescue one of the mounts that are being broken to be used for war." She suggested with a knowing smile. "Those who have been rescued tend to be more loyal to their saviors."
Urdein paused for a step before jogging after the still walking elf. "Do you really think I could help them? If one is rescued what about the others?"
"Rescue you the youngest one," Remys uttered, smiling sadly. "The older ones, though almost broken, will recognize it for what it is. Saving the young from a fate they have already gone threw."
"That is what Grandmother does, right?" Urdein inquired, tilting his head.
"Not entirely," Remys commented, only faintly noting the manor in front of them. Grabbing onto Mystic, Remys swung herself onto the back of the mare, waiting till the prince was situated on his own mount before continuing to speak, the prince leading the duo towards the tournament.
"For animals, they want the younger ones saved because they don't want them to go threw what they have. For us as individuals, not everything is so cut and dry. The youngest are the most innocent, and will not be exposed to conflicts early on. For us, it is the older children that need saving. The young ones will be taken in by families, as they can teach the child what they need to know; shape them the way they want to. The older ones are already shaped and molded into somebody."
"You speak from experience?"
Remys gave a sad look towards the west where the sun's rays were just starting to pierce the gray of the morning. "Verily," she agreed before turning towards the stadium that loomed before them. "I assume this is it?" She asked sarcastically as two stablehands bustled out from the side yard where the horses resided.
Slipping to the ground she waved the stablehand off and sent the mare on her way back to the inn. Watching the mare disappear around a corner, Remys waiting for the prince who handed two silver coins to the stablehands before escorting her into the arena. The prince nodded his head to the guards that were posted at the front of the archway into the arena before leading Remys past them and up the stairs to the sides of the arches.
Looking around Remys noted the four large gates around the edges of the ring, smoke rising from two of them, vines creeping along the other gate, while fog rolled out from the last gate. Furrowing her brow, Remys sat into the seat the prince pulled out, the head of the royal guard bowing his head to the prince before giving a warm smile to the Lady Elf. With a slight smile, Remys sat back in her seat, her cloak pulled to one side so that it pulled at the bottom of the chair.
A heartbeat later, an announcer on a flashy bay stallion trotted into the ring, a small orb flying in front of him to amplify his voice. With a grimace, Remys noted the voice belonged to the noble whom she met on her way to the forest.
Wonder if they ever found the nobles runaway son? She questioned thoughtfully before drawing her attention back to the ring. When the announcer left, the doors to the gates swung open, four elemental hippogriffs bursting from the dark tunnels. Wings flared open as the group took off into the sky, the audience letting out gasps, some sections cheering for their chosen opponent.
Looking down for a moment, Remys noted the doors swing shut and movement shadowing just beyond the iron gates. Furrowing her brow, Remys turned back towards the four knights, now three, were still battling in the sky, the screeches from their mounts echoing in her sensitive ears. The hippogriff covered in vines successfully landed on the ground, its rider slumped forward in the saddle with a nasty wound curling along his side. A few hand servants went out to get the rider to the medic, while a stablehand led the mount back into the stalls.
The water mount was next to drop out, its rider clutched in its claws as the winged animal crashed onto the sand. Turning her gaze to the fallen rider, Remys winced at the twisted leg and the blood pouring from his back. That will not heal nicely, she remarked before watching the air and fire elementals fight.
"So does the winner get granted a better mount?" She questioned Urdein, not quite grasping the concept.
"The winner gets to study under one of the king's own guards. Then if they choose they can become a kingsguard which gets them a better mount."
Remys nodded slowly and rolled her eyes once the prince went back to the fight, leaning back in her seat. Kasimir gave a disgruntled noise at the booming sounds of the audience, dropping his head down to bury it in her hair. Lifting a hand Remys slowly scratched the top of his head, her eyes only drawn away from the fighting knights when the gates flung open again, yearling wyverns bursting out from the tunnels. Sitting up straight, Remys ignored Kasimir's mert of complaint at the sudden movement, her eyes widening when the knights flipped their blades down and dove towards the wyverns.
Urdein's hand flung in front of Remys, his eyes widening at the look of rage in her eyes. "Fathers orders," he mumbled in response to her scathing look. Her expression slowly became blank as she watched the yearlings group together to avoid the two knights, their tails flinging out to keep them at bay while their wings stayed closely tucked to their body.
Remys glanced around the audience, her eyes easily picking out a few elves among the masses. Their hands were clenched, backs straight as rods, the way elves nowadays were taught to display anger. Her eyes quickly flipped to the captain of the guard who was watching her with a carefully guarded expression.
"The king orders all those who will potentially become kingsguard must fight a wyvern or a dragon, yearling and up, Lady Remys. They are not allowed to kill them if that is what you are agitated by. Simply prove that they can immobilize them."
Remys pursed her lips before nodding. She turned to Urdein before dipping her head. "I feel unwell. Thank you for this princeling, but I shall be taking my leave now." The prince simply nodded, knowing better than to make his Grandmother watch this. Standing up Remys stepped around her cloak and strode towards the stairs. The prince could stay and enjoy this spectacle.
To her, this was nothing short of picking at the weak.
***
Walking down the street, Remys drew a lot of stares from the dragonfolk, their gazes were drawn to the Sabel Tooth on her shoulder. Slipping towards one of the stores, Remys walking in through the open doorway, smiling gently at the little kid who held it open. Crouching down Remys offered a small green berry to the kid in thanks, who happily took the sweet fruit.
Striding forwards Remys walked to the desk at the back of the shop, humming in pleasure as the smell of freshly made sweets and treats greeted her nose. The young baker behind the desk looked up from his book at her approach, his rounded face still full of innocence.
"Welcome welcome!" He exclaimed, dropping down from the desk. Remys looked down to the little halfling and gave a smile, crouching down slightly so she was the same height.
"Hello little baker," she greeted before dipping her head towards the cooling tarts on the shelves. "I am in need of two dozen of those wonderful elvish tarts that you sell here." The little halfling gave her a wide eyed look before nodded quickly, rushing off towards the backroom to get a box.
"Marie!" He shouted as he entered the room. "Those reorola tarts are getting bought!" His abnormally large feet thumped against the wooden ground as he ran back into the main store, a box in hand. The tarts were soon put into the wooden contraption, the top shutting quietly. The box itself was meant to be held vertically, rather than flat, the shelves inside the box acting like little nests for the tarts.
Almost like a chicken coop, Remys mused, catching her laughter before it spilled from raspberry lips. Grasping the case, Remys dug into the small pouch at the side of her hip and pulled out two silver coins, dropping them into the halfling's hand. Waving the halfling away as he tried to give her change, Remys walked out of the shop and towards her inn, humming an old elvish lullaby to herself.
Walking into the modish inn, Remys nodded at the keeper who simply waved with a smile before returning to his book, the old leather cracking along the spine. Remys swept up to her room and grinned at the two saddlebags that lay on the end of her bed, along with the inn's complimentary basket of soaps. Grasping the basket, Remys grabbed a few of her older books from the saddlebags, the ones she had memorized, before walking back out of her room and out of the inn.
Walking to the stables, Remys walked to the very back and smiled at Mystic before going to Maiya's stall, petting her soft coat. "I have need of you, old friend," Remys murmured, smiling when the trustworthy mare walked towards the door and waiting with a whicker. "Thank you, my friend," Remys thanked in elvish, pulling herself onto the draft mare's back before setting off at an ambling walk towards the far side of the capital.
Towards the slums, Remys remarked before scratching Kasimir under the chin, rewarding the kit for being so patient and quiet. The buildings slowly changed to run down stones as the trio continued their way towards the outer edges of the capital, the roofs slouching down and becoming more patched up the further from the inner city she went.
At the very last moment before the poorest part of town, Remys turned right and headed down a slightly kept road, the large building in front of her looming ominously in the mid morning light. Looking up at the building, Remys was relieved to see the curtains moving, signaling at least one person was inside.
Maiya skittered slightly around a collapsed body, Remys not sparing the drunk a second look, her nose scrunching at the rough smell of alcohol and brandy. Kasimir let out a hiss, his tail puffing up against her neck before settling, glaring at the body for as long as he could see it. With a murmur, Remys calmed her companions down and let Maiya plod onto the grounds, passing between the two iron gates.
Alandain Orphanage, Remys read from the crumbling sign. They changed their name, Remys noted before slipping off the mares back, petting her nose softly. Walking towards the main doors, Remys heard the mare lay down on a patch of grass inside the iron fence, nibbling on the sparse blades.
With a knock, Remys waited barely a moment before the doors swung open, a set of eager eyes looking her up and down. "Welcome back, Lady Remys," the orphanage head greeted, opening the doors wider. The fae woman was a little shorter than the elf, her ears almost completely human besides the slight point to the end.
"A long time it has been," Remys responded before slipping inside, waiting until the Madam was beside her before walking further into the orphanage. "I come bearing gifts," she started, cutting the Madam off before she could start profusely thanking her. "I would like to give them to the kids while they are still warm."
The Madam waved her back towards the very back of the orphanage, another set of large doors swung open, and instantly the chatter behind them ceased. Roughly twenty curious yet wary gazes looked their way, some of the older ones recognizing the Lady Elf.
"Lady Remys!" Some of them cried, jumping from their seats and rushing towards the elf. With a warm smile, Remys scooped the kids up and hugged them tightly, the tension in the room dissolving with that simple gesture.
"Hello my dears," Remys greeted before pulling out the case with the tarts. "Gifts!" She exclaimed when they looked to her with confused smiles. With wide eyes, the kids in front of her and ones at the table rushed over, opening the case. "One each!" She called out, watching as the kids eagerly grabbed one of the tarts and started eating the sweet treat.
The Madam smiled softly before sitting down, nursing a goblet of wine it smelled like. Her movements were the same grace all immortals learned and carried, her actions holding an air of pride while still blending in with her somber surroundings.
Remys looking around before noting two kids on the far side of the dining hall, who had not yet come over. "Who are they?" Remys questioned the Madam as she slid into the seat beside her, graciously taking the offered goblet of wine. Sibbing the substance, Remys made a surprised sound at the quality before listening.
"Oh, those are the vampire twins. Almost three centuries and no one has adopted the poor things. Everyone is too scared, the twins learned to survive in the wild for so long they have become quick to snap when they feel threatened."
Remys nodded slowly sipping the wine while still watching the twins. The female twin turned her head and caught Remys' gaze, her eyes widening before a wide smile caught her lips, ivory white fangs flashing into view as ruby red lips curled into an excited grin. The somber male beside her looked to where his sister watched and made contact with the sorceress, his eyes filled with curiosity as the woman didn't shy from his gaze. His eyes seemed to glimmer with the faintest hint of hope, his left arm curling around his sister. "Tell them to pack their bags," Remys commented moments later, a genuine smile curling on her lips as she dipped her head to the twins, still talking with the Madam. The twins' heads shot up at her words, their acute hearing catching her projected words, excitement radiating off of them. "They are going to be shown a home."
The Madam gave a soft laugh as the twins bolted towards the stairs, rushing to go up them in a barely perceivable blur to the mortal eye. Remys easily caught their actions, still smiling as she finished sipping her wine. "I should be back in another century if some of them still have not been adopted," Remys commented to the Madam, nodding her head towards the kids who were just finishing their tarts. "Though I assume you will have no trouble with them."
The Madam gave a grin before nodding. "Yes, most of them will go quick, being part human or dragonfolk." Her eyes sparkled with mischief before she turned her gaze to Remys. "You will be alright with them?"
"I can think of no one better to travel with me," Remys remarked truthfully. "They need hope in their life. And I know they will find it with me." The Madam nodded before procuring a scroll from her robes, the paper unrolling to reveal the adoption contract. Kasimir meowed curiously before extending a clawed paw. Remys pressed her pointer finger to the claw until a small drop of blood beaded on her skin, the finger quickly being pressed to the contract before the drop could fall.
With a small glance, the prick healed itself, the skin smoothing over as if nothing had ever happened, though the blood print on the contract was a giveaway. "They are all yours," the Madam said warmly, handing the contract to Remys who vanished it into a dimensional pocket. The Madam rubbed the Sabel Tooth Kitten on the shoulder before sitting up as Remys pulled out the four or five books she brought, setting them on the table. Remys smirked as the Madam shook her head in happy disappointment. "Stop giving us so many things, Remys."
"Never," Remys teased playfully before looking up as the twins skipped down the steps, their now boot clad feet mutedly moving across the floor as they eagerly walked towards their mom. Remys smiled warmly at them and lifted a hand towards the girl, pulling the young vampire into her arms for a warm hug before expectantly looking to the brother. With a shy smile, the male slipped into the hug, resting his head on the elfs shoulders. The twins' arms wrapped around the Lady Elf, gratitude rolling off them in waves.
Remys nodded to the Madam and waved to the other kids before picking the sister up and setting her on the opposite hip of Kasimir. "Shall we head out then?" Eager nods caused a rolling laugh to escape raspberry lips before Remys lead the twins out of the dining hall and eventually out of the orphanage. "Do you have names?" Remys questioned once they were outside, lifting the sister enough to set her on the large draft mare who now stood beside her mistress. A sad shake of their heads made Remys frown before she gave a motherly smile. "Well, we can choose names for you, yes?"
"Please!" The sister eagerly cried from atop the mare, gripping the long brown mane with white knuckles. Remys smiled before helping the brother onto the back of the mare, making sure the twins were steady. With that, Remys turned and walked off the orphanage grounds, Maiya and the twins following after her, Kasimir happily perched on her right shoulder.
With a wide grin, Remys pulled a book from her dimensional pocket, the book of all plants, animals, and beings, -in elvish-, being put in the twins' hands. "Pick a name loves," Remys commented as she looked up at the blinding sun. "We have a little way before we get to the inn."
The sister flipped through the book before pointing towards the flowers decorating the page. "Can I be named after them?" Remys glanced at the page before smiling slightly.
"Those are all different flowers. Do you want to just be a daughter of them?" The girl nodded her head eagerly, passing the book to her brother. "Then how about Lothien?" The girl nodded wildly before testing the name out on her tongue. "It means flower daughter," Remys commented before she could ask.
Lothien tested the name a few more times before nodding her consent, happily smiling. "Hi, mother," the vampire teased with a wide smile, "I'm Lothien!"
"Rhazien," the boy spoke moments later, startling Lothien. "What does it mean? I can't read the little text."
"Protector," Remys responded easily, recognizing the high elf language. "Lothien and Rhazien Fenyarus." Remys turned to look at her two children and gave a wide smile.
"Welcome to the family, young ones."
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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stone